Media & Communications » SCLD Bloghttp://media.scld.yorku.ca
Student Community & Leadership DevelopmentWed, 25 Feb 2015 14:32:36 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1I <3 YU Spirit & Valentine’s Day Event Recap!http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/i-3-yu-spirit-valentines-day-event-recap/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/i-3-yu-spirit-valentines-day-event-recap/#commentsWed, 25 Feb 2015 14:32:36 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1159What a great turnout! A ton of York students came out to our event and shared the love. We gave out all our lollipops & goodie bags to passer of Vari Hall, and the photo booth was a hit! And it couldn’t have happened without the hard work and enthusiasm of this awesome team and the many volunteers that helped out! WE LOVEEEE YOUU!

There were excellent tweets on why we love #YorkU!

“I LOVE #YorkU because it shaped me & gave me the opportunity to be the woman I am today! #WeAreYU #YU Pride” – @marmoura88

“I love #yorku because of the caring student, compassionate professors and for the the beautiful campus we come to everyday #WeAreYU” -@alysonalcat

“I <3 YU because the college system provides me a community of academic & social support, with others similar to myself #WeAreYU” – @nadgreco

Some pictures from the event

Thanks to all who came out to the event and participated! We had a blast. For more pictures and tweets, not to worry, a new post will be coming your way shortly

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/i-3-yu-spirit-valentines-day-event-recap/feed/012 Reactions Students Have at the Start of Reading Week, as told in GIFShttp://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/12-reactions-students-have-at-the-start-of-reading-week-as-told-in-gifs/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/12-reactions-students-have-at-the-start-of-reading-week-as-told-in-gifs/#commentsMon, 16 Feb 2015 16:00:05 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1226Ahhh – Reading Week. The best time of year. It’s a time for fun, for hard work, for refuelling and refocussing. And when it starts, I think many of us have at least some of these reactions…

1) *Wakes up in a panic on Monday Morning* “OMG I’M LATE FOR CLASS” *Remembers that it’s reading week, and no classes*Take that, monday morning lecture at 8:30am.

*Ahem.* Sorry, I didn’t mean to go all caps-lock on you – but TGIF, right? Especially when that friday is the FRIDAY BEFORE READING WEEK!

Okay, I know, I’ve gotta calm down. Maybe telling some more BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. stories from some upper year students might help me calm down a bit.

Like I mentioned in the original BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. post, we at SCLD want to remind you folks that reading week isn’t just a week where you’re supposed to be hunched over a book at the library, or slaving away at home on a paper or project (although you can certainly do those things if you want to). Reading week is a week for you. And you can decide what you want and need to do to make it memorable or successful.

Remember: it’s YOUR time, and you can spend it however you’d like!

And so, here are even more stories from upper year students about their most memorable reading week experiences – try not to explode from excitement about the week ahead like I’m doing right now.

“This reading week, my best friend and I are going to go snowshoeing to Inglis falls near Owen Sounds, and I am really excited – I’ve never done it before, and so it’s great that I’ll be able to share this first experience with my best friend. It’s going to be awesome too I think to just get out of the city, and to be in nature. Being outside and in nature is a great stress reliever!”

~ Shelby C.

“My dad and I have our own tradition, where every other year we head downtown to see the Canadian Auto Show. As many folks know, university can get extremely hectic, and it’s not easy to take the time to spend quality time with family (especially if you live away from home). And so reading week has always been for me a time to spend with family, and also to reset, refocus, and relax (which, for me, is kicking back and watching my all-time favourite show, Top Gear!). Pretty much, taking the time to ‘refill the tank.’

~ Julian J.

We want to hear from you!

Join in the conversation throughout next week and tell us what you’re up to! Tweet or post on Facebook using the hashtag #YUreadingweek, and show us all the awesome stuff that you are doing that is making your Reading Week memorable.

The best posts using the hashtag #YUreadingweek will be featured in our Storify story following reading week!

Have a WONDERFUL WEEK, everyone! Be safe, have fun, and remember: it’s your time!

*hehe* See what I did there?

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/the-best-reading-week-ever-here-we-go/feed/0Your BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. Is Only 3 Days Awayhttp://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/your-best-reading-week-ever-is-only-3-days-away/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/your-best-reading-week-ever-is-only-3-days-away/#commentsThu, 12 Feb 2015 16:00:39 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1146Yes, that’s right folks: 3 MORE DAYS!!! I’m starting to get really excited for reading week, and I hope all of you are too!

I will admit – the closer and closer it gets to friday, the longer and longer the days seem to feel… Although today is a bit of an exception, since all of the amazingI <3 YU Wednesday events happening at York’s RED Zone (who, by the way, you can follow on Twitter and like on Facebook) and the official start of our York Love contest have kept my day busy and bright!

However, in any case, if you’re feeling the same way, rest assured: it’s almost here! And while you’re waiting, we’ll keep bringing you some BEST. READING WEEK. EVER stories!

Like I mentioned in the original BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. post, we at SCLD want to remind students that reading week isn’t just a week where you are supposed to be hunched over a book at the library, or slaving away at home on a paper or project – although you can certainly do those things if you want. Reading week is a week for you. And you can decide what you want and need to do to make it memorable or successful.

Remember: it’s YOUR time, and you can spend it however you’d like!

And so, here are even more stories from upper year students about their most memorable reading week experiences for you to read while you pass the time until Friday!

“One of the most memorable reading weeks for me happened during my first year. At the time, I was working three jobs in order to pay for school, and I had the chance to work some extra shifts during reading week, which helped me save for the following semester.

But I was able to do other things, too. I went home for a little while, which was wonderful, and because I had made some extra money, I finally had enough money and time to decorate the space I was living in at school. Visiting home, and decorating my new home at York, really made me feel more at-home.”

~ Gayle M.

“As an international student from the Bahamas, I usually try to go home for Reading week – being away from home is something that can be particularly difficult for international students, and so I treasure every opportunity I have to go home and spend time with friends and family. It’s an awesome stress reliever, and a great time to relax for me!

Although I personally wouldn’t recommend not doing any work at all over reading week, it’s important to get some well-deserved R&R.”

~ Khaliq Martin

Stay tuned next week for more BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. stories! Also, we want to hear from you – join in the conversation, and tell us either about your most memorable reading week, or about what you’re doing during this reading week that’s sure to be memorable. If you’d like, you can also share with us DURING READING WEEK what you’re up to!

The best posts using the hashtag #YUreadingweek will be featured in our Storify story following reading week!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! And remember: one more week!

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/your-best-reading-week-ever-is-only-3-days-away/feed/0I <3 YU Wednesday Events!http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/i-3-yu/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/i-3-yu/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 19:37:03 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1069It’s that time of year again – a time of notes, sleepless nights, cramming and coffee (if you are a coffee lover like me).

Not to worry! To be successful, you need a little break from the busy week. We have your back

The RED ZONE, located in the middle of Vari Hall will be holding a Spirit & Valentine’s Day Event!! YESSSSSSS

What to Expect

1. Show your YU Spirit

If you are found dressed in York apparel or colours, volunteers will give you a FREE GOODIE BAG! What’s in the bag? Well looks like you got to show off that YU spirit to find out huh?

2. A chance to win an awesome I <3 YU t-shirt

IT’S CONTEST TIME! If you tweet an original and creative reason why you love York, you can win a #WeAreYU T-Shirt!!

Our lovely RED Zone Ambassadors showing off those #WeAreYU t-Shirts that are up for grabs!

3. Get your picture printed!

If you use the hashtag #WeAreYU in your Instagram picture during the day, the RED Zone will have a printed polaroid copy of your picture. What a great way to keep a memory of your years at YorkU!

4. Valentine’s Day cards for loved ones

The booth will also have adorable York Valentine’s Days card that you can give to anyone! Give it to a friend, a partner, a teacher, a fellow student or yaknow, your favourite Media & Comm. Ambassador

Tell us why you love YorkU! We’d love to hear See you tomorrow

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/i-3-yu/feed/0Even More BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. Stories!http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/even-more-best-reading-week-ever-stories/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/even-more-best-reading-week-ever-stories/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 14:05:23 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1061Hello once again, everyone. Thanks for tuning into post three of our BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. series that began last friday! (And, in case you missed the first post explaining the series, you can check out the original post here).

Reading week is less than one work week away – and even closer for those of you lucky ducks who have fridays off!

I am not one them, unfortunately…

HOWEVER, in any case, as reading week approaches we at SCLD want to remind students that reading week isn’t just a week where you are supposed to be hunched over a book at the library, or slaving away at home on a paper or project – although you can certainly do those things if you want. Reading week, for us, is a week for you. And you can decide what you want and need to do to make it memorable or successful.

Remember: it’s YOUR time, and you can spend it however you’d like!

And so, with that in mind, here are even more stories from some upper year students about their most memorable reading week experiences – maybe they will help to inspire what you will do next week during the break!

“Most reading weeks, I reconnect with one of my friends that I usually don’t see during other times of the year, and I take some well-needed time to re-organize and recharge myself – to have some me-time!

Oh, and I eat and sleep. All day.”

~ Ariel P.

“I’m actually really excited for this reading week – I plan on spending a lot of time at the retirement home where my grandparents live. It’s hard to stay in contact throughout the year with them, so I’m looking forward to seeing them, listening to their stories, and even volunteering at the home and helping out! I feel like I’m really returning to what’s important to me this reading week.”

~ Marina J.

Keep checking in with us this week for more BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. stories! Feel free as well to join in the conversation, and tell us either about your most memorable reading week, or about what you’re doing during this reading week that’s sure to be memorable. If you’d like, you can also share with us DURING READING WEEK what you’re up to!

The best posts using the hashtag #YUreadingweek will be featured in our Storify story following reading week!

I’ll be back tomorrow with even more #YUreadingweek stories to share with you!

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/even-more-best-reading-week-ever-stories/feed/0Some More BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. Storieshttp://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/some-more-best-reading-week-ever-stories/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/some-more-best-reading-week-ever-stories/#commentsMon, 09 Feb 2015 16:00:03 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1115Hello again folks, and welcome to post number two of our BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. series that began last friday! (And, in case you missed the first post explaining the series, you can check out the original post here). I don’t know about you, but I am simply counting down the days until that wonderful week – I can’t wait to have a little bit of time off!

As reading week approaches, we want to remind students that reading week isn’t just a week where you are supposed to be hunched over a book at the library, or slaving away at home on a paper or project – although you can certainly do those things if you want. Reading week, for us, is a week for you. And you can decide what you want and need to do to make it memorable or successful.

Remember: it’s YOUR time, and you can spend it however you’d like!

And so, with that in mind, here are a few stories from some upper year students about their most memorable reading week experiences – feel free to draw inspiration from them, if you’d like!

“I went to U of T for my first year, and I wasn’t really having a good time. I didn’t really like it, and I wanted to transfer somewhere else, but I didn’t know what to do. So during that reading week, I went back home and spent time with family, and I talked things over with them. It was an amazing week. I came back feeling refreshed, supported, and like I was finally thinking clearly. Shortly thereafter, I transferred to York, and now I’m 100 times happier!”

~ Alessandra F.

“I had wanted to do my Personal Trainer’s certification for quite a while (at least a year), but I never really had the time. But last year, I finally decided to take the time to do it, and I was successful! It felt really great to get something done that I had been meaning to do, and to use the time to explore my interests outside of school”

~ Morgan S.

Keep checking in with us this week for more BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. stories! Feel free as well to join in the conversation, and tell us either about your most memorable reading week, or about what you’re doing during this reading week that’s sure to be memorable. If you’d like, you can also share with us DURING READING WEEK what you’re up to!

The best posts using the hashtag #YUreadingweek will be featured in our Storify story following reading week!

I’ll be back tomorrow with even more #YUreadingweek stories to share with you!

As many of you know, (actually, I’m sure all of you already know, and have had it on your mind since January), reading week is, as of today, exactly seven days away!

Yes, you read that correctly. SEVEN DAYS AWAY from probably the best week of the entire year. Cue the fireworks, folks!

Now, some of you may be wondering the following: what’s so special about reading week? Isn’t it just a week to sit down at the library and get reading done?

Well, yes and no – it’s a yes if you decide to get reading done at the library, and a no if you don’t. It’s really your decision as to what you do with your time.

But to answer the first of the two – that is, what makes reading week so special or so awesome? - the answer is simple: it’s because you get to decide what to do with your time!

That’s right, folks – reading week is your time, and you can spend that time however you see fit! You can spend it reading in the library; you can make a trip back home to visit family; you can travel throughout the world; and, if you want, you can just eat junk food and catch up on House of Cards on Netflix in your PJs. The point is, reading week really is your week, and you don’t necessarily have to spend it reading (although it can be just as awesome if you do)!

This will be the theme of our new series “Best. Reading Week. Ever.”,in which we will be getting some upper year York students to tell us about their favourite reading week experience of all time, and why it was so memorable. It could have been memorable because they learned something new, traveled to a new place, visited old friends or made new ones, or even because they had the chance to relax in the midst of a busy winter semester. Whatever the reason, it was memorable for them – and it may not have even involved any reading at all!

So, to kick off this series, I thought I would share a quick story about my own most memorable reading week ever – feel free share your stories with us (either past or present reading week stories) on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #YUreadingweek!

“Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe on my reading week – something I had always wanted to do! My partner and I flew to Germany to visit family – we spent half of our time in Munich, and the other half in Berlin, and it was by far one of the most eye-opening experiences of my entire life. The two of us had the opportunity to experience a whole side of the world that we had never seen before, and although we only had about nine days, we made the most of our time. Even though we took a risk in not staying home and catching up on readings and assignments, I am so happy we did!”

~ Christopher F.

Stay tuned next week for more BEST. READING WEEK. EVER. stories! Also, we want to hear from you – join in the conversation, and tell us either about your most memorable reading week, or about what you’re doing during this reading week that’s sure to be memorable. If you’d like, you can also share with us DURING READING WEEK what you’re up to!

The best posts using the hashtag #YUreadingweek will be featured in our Storify story following reading week!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! And remember: one more week!

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/best-reading-week-ever/feed/0The All-You-Need-To-Know Guide to Elections!http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/the-all-you-need-to-know-guide-to-elections/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/the-all-you-need-to-know-guide-to-elections/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 17:01:25 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=1021As many of you must have already seen, elections have begun at YorkU! But what are these elections even for? These elections determine the new members of next year’s (2015-2016) York Federation of Students team! Sometimes it’s a lot to take in, but I’m going to give you a couple of tips on how to go about the election period.

NOTE: SCLD does not endorse any particular candidates/slates. This post is for general information purposes only.

The following are the slates running for elections, their executive candidates, and their social media channels:

A Better Choice

Executive position candidates are as follows:

PRESIDENT – Emile Wickham

VP OPERATIONS – Judy Jo

VP CAMPAIGNS & ADVOCACY – Annalissa Crisostomo

VP EQUITY – Steve Mulholland

VP CAMPUS LIFE – Zeb Khandwala

Student Action

Executive position candidates are as follows:

PRESIDENT – Mithilen Mathipalan

VP OPERATIONS – Gayle McFadden

VP CAMPAIGNS & ADVOCACY – Chenthoori Malankov

VP EQUITY – Huda Alsarraj

VP CAMPUS LIFE – Alexandria Williams

Bloc Glendonois

Executive position candidates are as follows:

PRESIDENT – N/A

VP OPERATIONS – Phillip Grozdanovski

VP CAMPAIGNS & ADVOCACY – Michael James Wigginton

VP EQUITY – Alexander Sokol

VP CAMPUS LIFE – N/A

YU Red

Executive position candidates are as follows:

PRESIDENT – Saereen Qureshi

VP OPERATIONS – N/A

VP CAMPAIGNS & ADVOCACY – N/A

VP EQUITY – N/A

VP CAMPUS LIFE – N/A

*no social media has been found*

Tips for choosing the best candidate(s):

1. Research each candidate’s/slate’s platform(s)

• This will tell you what each candidate/slate is advocating for, and will be working towards if elected

2. Attend any debates

• Debates are a great place to get a sense of the candidates running, as well as to ask questions, voice concerns, or just get an introduction to candidates and their platforms/slates

3. Tweet/email/post any questions/concerns to the specific slate(s) or candidate(s)

• If you missed any debates (or there weren’t any) and you have questions/concerns, messaging them on social media or emailing them is a good way to get in contact with candidates

4. Visit Vari Hall when candidates are campaigning

• If you’d like to talk to candidates in person, then Vari Hall is a great place to ask questions 1-on-1, because each slate usually campaigns mainly in Vari Hall (you’ll most likely see people handing out flyers with their slate information)

5. Vote for the person whom you believe is the best candidate

• Ultimately, the vote is yours. However, remember that your vote does affect York’s student life. Vote for the person who you believe is the best possible candidate for the position(s). Also, remember that all votes are ANONYMOUS.

Important Notices

Any York student is guaranteed a vote, however you must have your student card in order to vote.

Voting stations will be set up throughout campus during the allotted voting periods.
**Locations will be updated when they are released**

EXECUTIVE DEBATE FOR GLENDON CAMPUS:

February 4, 2015 at 10:00 am in the Glendon Cafeteria

EXECUTIVE DEBATE FOR KEELE CAMPUS:

February 5, 2015 at 10:00 am in The Underground (Student Centre)

VOTING DATES:

February 10-13, 2015

Talk to you next time, folks!

]]>http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/02/the-all-you-need-to-know-guide-to-elections/feed/0YU Charity Ball is quickly approaching!http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/01/yu-charity-ball-is-quickly-approaching/
http://media.scld.yorku.ca/2015/01/yu-charity-ball-is-quickly-approaching/#commentsThu, 29 Jan 2015 16:38:30 +0000http://media.scld.yorku.ca/?p=962Want to have a great time with your York friends? Need a break from studying and want to eat unique food and dance the night away in downtown Toronto? Here’s your chance!

For those of you who are new or have never been to this Ball, you must be thinking…

What is the YU Charity Ball??

It is an ALL-ages student-run formal charity event offered to all students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The YU Charity Ball this year will be taking place on February 6, at the beautiful Steam Whistle Brewery, in support of the CAMH Foundation.

What does your ticket include?

1. Food, Food, and more food

During the event, caterers will be constantly walking around handing out finger foods, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts.

2. FREE Brewery Tours

The Steam Whistle is offering free tours of the brewery for all comers! You can also use your free drink ticket to try their beer of the evening.

3. An Awesome View

Did I mention the Steam Whistle Brewing is right beside the CN Tower and close to the Harbourfront?!

4. DJ P-Plus

The music at Charity Ball is going to be awesome because we’ve got DJ P-Plus from FLOW 93.5 lined up for us!

5. Chance to win awesome prizes!

Be sure to bring some money for drinks, raffles, a 50/50 draw, and many more prizes! They accept cash and all major credit cards.

6. A donation to the CAMH Foundation

The team who led Charity Ball 2014. The event raised $17,000 for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation!

What is the VIP ticket?

When you visit the Eventbrite site to purchase your ticket, you will see the option to buy a VIP ticket. This ticket provides you with access to the Upper level VIP room at the Steam Whistle, which gives you a 360 bird’s eye view of the whole event.